The Past Wound

Oriana restlessly shifts on the couch as it starts raining outside. Fabian's mum has already informed her of the irrefutable arrangement that she's staying here tonight. No argument needed! Marlene looked so excited to set her brother with Oriana in a movie scene where they might get romantic and kiss under the full moon. Well, except for the fact that it's raining and

the moon is hardly visible. She's been trying to say all the right things, and some exaggerated compliments about Fabian to Oriana since she's got here to set the scene for them.

Oriana couldn't help liking her. Fabian should be home any minute now as it's been almost 20 minutes since he told Oriana he'd take 20 to get here.

Oriana quietly shudders at the thought of the monster...the monster who changed everything for her. What the hell is he doing here now! How long does she have left until the old terror invades her life and swallows it whole!

"Hey!" Fabian's voice floats in from behind.

Oriana looks over her shoulder and smiles, "I'm alive!"

Fabian gives a wry smile before taking the seat beside her. He sits in silence for a moment, before gently holding her hand, "What happened in your life, Oriana?" his voice is levelled, his eyes are looking out the

window.

Oriana lets out a sharp exhale but doesn't talk right away. She needs to sort out the whole story inside her head though there's nothing to sort

out...the truth is blatantly straight forward and she's been trying not to admit it herself all these years.

Fabian doesn't nag her with further questions but chooses not to say anything to change the topic that's suspended in the air either.

"I was raped." Her voice sounds blank.

Fabian purses his lips into a thin line as the words slowly and painfully sink in. He doesn't show any expression immediately which is pretty expected given his being somewhat of a cyborg.

"Was it him at the party?"

"Yes!" Oriana's voice trembles now.

Fabian looks at her directly, "Wanna talk about it?" Her eyes are filled with tears, "I'm not sure."

He sits for a few more moments in silence, not knowing what to do or say.

Oriana feels unsettled and queasy as the thought of Fabian potentially wanting to hug her as a sign of sympathy and comfort. She doesn't know if she's capable of sitting through any intimacy without flipping out. All she can think about right at this moment is how pathetically that animal ruined her existence, soiled her body and soul. It's no wonder she's never been able to get intimate with anyone since then. But thankfully, Fabian doesn't attempt to close the gap between them.

"You want some time alone?" He looks her in the eyes.

She feels a bit of a pain tugging at her heart for keeping him at arm's length as she nods. She really wants him in her life but now? She isn't so sure about what she actually wants.

"Sure! If you need anything, or maybe need to talk about...anything! I'm just a text away." he smiles slowly warming her heart.

"I will! Marlene is so sweet by the way." she tries to grin casually.

He shrugs, "I would want to disagree but that debate is up for another time. Good night, Oriana."

"Good night, Fabian. I'm so thankful for what you did today."

"Don't even mention it. It's nothing." He gives a tight-lipped grin before leaving the room.

Oriana feels like a deflated balloon, emotionally and mentally and

somehow physically as well. She cannot make sense of her reality anymore. She knows she likes Fabian and he likes her back. But he's much younger and though age shouldn't be a matter, everything matters to her now. She isn't sure if she's even ready to let any guy get close to her in any way. Her body shivers as the memories from the fateful night come crawling back.

She didn't know that the cursed party would be the last time she'd enjoy anything for real. She didn't know the huge mournful Willow tree on the way to the club would let her weep and shiver under it after she was betrayed, violated through and through. She had no clue what was awaiting her when her supposedly close friends dragged her into the dimly lit hell hole. That monster was already lurking around the room before...before she was drugged but wait... Oriana sits straight as a jolt of flashback hits her hard sending electric shock across her entire body.

She saw a boy before going into the room where the monster raped her over and over again. But the fact that her body was brutally destroyed is currently obscured by the long-hidden face that's trying to surface through the bleak fragments from the past.

She knows the face...the boy...that smirk on his face...he was helping...helping that monster to tackle her. The smirk...where did she see that smirk before? Or maybe after? Did she see the same face after the

incident? Back in the US? Here? Where?

She starts to restlessly pace across the room. Her heartbeat is skyrocketing by the minute. Her head starts to throb as she tries to figure out the thin connection between her dark past and the confusing present that she's been trying to make peace with.

Her head snaps toward the direction of the window as soon as the crackling sound comes through the crazy staccato rhythm of the rain.

That smirk... Her limbs go instantly frozen as she looks at the smirk at

the window...no, now inside the room, approaching her. She needs to run, or at least try to move but she's as frozen as a glacier.

"Remember anything, Oriana? It's been a while, or has it?"

She gulps the lump in her throat and completely fails to answer to the sarcastic question.

"I honestly wouldn't say, it's been a while given the fact that we've been practically seeing each other everyday." he's dangerously close now.

"W-why?"

"Why... What?" he laughs which turns into that evil smirk in a minute. "You figured out who the boy was that night yet?"

Oriana looks at the guy before her in disbelief. How has she missed the smirk? How has her brain almost erased that single face from her memories until now? She's actually been seeing him everyday. How could she not

see? How has she been so blind!

"You really didn't think your past wound has been healed and now you can live happily ever after with that young cyborg, did you?" his face

becomes harder as he grips her face with contempt, "So you're into younger ones, I see! Why was it so problematic for my uncle to be interested in young hoes back then? Why was it so important for your little pure

conscience to report him, huh? You little piece of crap?"

Oriana forgets to blink, "What do you want?" her own voice sounds so distant in her ears.

"That's not important. I'm here to finish the work that my uncle started.

O wait! No, I know what is it...I'm here to take revenge. You, little Miss perfect doesn't drserve to live after destroying my uncle's life."

"I destroyed his life? How...?" For some weird reason, Oriana still feels the energy and courage to talk back.

"He is dead, you bitch!"

"Is he? Who...then..who...did I see tonight?" She murmurs as her face goes pale.

"That was his twin brother, Zach. You killed my uncle and you expect me to let you go? To be free and happy and all that crap? Never!"

"How...how did you know I would be here?" Oriana sounds eerily calm and confident. She doesn't wanna give this murderous asshole the satisfaction to see her shudder.

"Let's give the readers the chance to figure that out, shall we?" Alvis's eyes throw flames at her as she feels a sharp pain at the back of her head.

She plunges her nails on his face that has the evil smirk plastered on, before blacking out.